{
  "id": 15556615,
  "title": "Microsoft pulls out of UK’s largest AI data centre",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/19/microsoft-pulls-out-of-uks-largest-ai-data-centre-15556615",
  "topic": "ai",
  "section": "AI",
  "published": "2026-10-19T02:35:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Joy Business",
    "slug": "joy-business",
    "url": "https://www.myjoyonline.com/microsoft-pulls-out-of-uks-largest-ai-data-centre/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Microsoft has announced that it is pulling out of the UK’s largest AI data centre project in Loughton, Essex, despite having committed to fund a supercomputer at the site. Nscale, the tech company behind the project, confirmed the news, stating that it remains committed to both the Loughton project and the UK as a whole. The data centre, which was initially set to receive its power supply by the end of the year, now faces delays until the 2030s due to a grid issue in London. Nscale explained that this problem does not affect their other contracts. The Loughton site is expected to create 250 permanent jobs when it eventually opens. Microsoft and Nscale are still collaborating on projects in Norway, Portugal, and the United States. In a separate announcement, Microsoft revealed that a portion of its $30bn investment in the UK will be used to fund the Loughton supercomputer.",
  "summary": "A tech company has said it still plans to build the UK's largest AI data centre despite Microsoft's withdrawal from the project.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "MyJoyOnline Ghana",
        "title": "Microsoft pulls out of UK’s largest AI data centre",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/19/microsoft-pulls-out-of-uks-largest-ai-data-centre",
        "published": "2026-10-19T02:35:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}